Anne Lewis, of Speedwell Road, Ipswich, admitted driving a motor vehicle while above the legal alcohol limit when she appeared before the town’s South East Suffolk Magistrates Court.

Lewis arrived at Asda in Stoke Park Drive, Ipswich, in her silver Suzuki Grand Vitara at just after 7pm on December 14.

However, staff suspected she was drunk and refused to allow her to start work.

Suspecting Lewis had been drink-driving police were called, however she is said to have driven off before they got to the store.

Officers saw Lewis’ vehicle in Stoke Park Drive and followed it as it turned right into Fountains Road.

After stopping the Suzuki Vitara, an officer gave Lewis a roadside breath test which indicated a positive reading.

She was arrested and taken into custody.

A subsequent breath test showed she had 121 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 mcgs.

After pleading guilty to the charge Lewis was disqualified from driving for 30 months.

She was also given a 12-month community order with a 150-hour unpaid work requirement.

In addition Lewis must pay £85 towards prosecution costs and £60 to the victims’ fund.

In a separate case at the same court Darren Palmer, of Low Road, Kelsale, near Halesworth denied a charge of drink-driving.

The 45-year-old is alleged to have driven a Ford Transit in Melton Road, Melton, on December 14 while over the legal limit.

He is accused of having 53 mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath.

Palmer was released on unconditional bail until his next appearance before South East Suffolk Magistrates Court on January 20.

The Ipswich Star is running its annual Christmas anti-drink-driving campaign in which it pledges to cover the cases of as many alleged drink-drivers as possible who were caught between December 1 and January 1.